Michael Pinsky: L’eau Qui Dort. November 25, 2015 – January 3, 2016

Below the surface of Ourcq Canal jettisoned objects await recovery. Over the years their surfaces have gained the complexion of aquatic wreckage. For L’eau Qui Dort, Michael Pinsky has used divers and cranes to dredge the canals and extract this debris. Forty of these ghostly objects will appear upright on the surface of the canal water, bathed in aquamarine light. Again visible, these bicycles, shopping trolleys, signs and fridges will confront their owners, demonstrating that society’s desire for the new can only be supported by rendering the old invisible. These objects have been played by those who live near the canal to create an eerie composition which will emanate from spaces around the installation, forming an intricate three-dimensional soundscape.

L’eau Qui Dort has been commissioned by COAL for La Villette and was created for ArtCOP21 during the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference.